When I was in high school, I had a serious addiction; my drug of choice was Days of Our Lives. As soon as the bus dropped me home, I would run down the driveway and throw myself onto the couch, anxious to see what was happening in Salem today. I haven’t watched soap operas since that time, but for those few years, the residents of Salem were a huge part of my life, the trials and tribulations of the town residents just as much a part of my life as the real world drama taking place in the high school hallways. There was a comfort in knowing that Marlena and Jack would always be there, no matter what.
Daytime Drama bought back a lot of these memories for me. The main character, Calliope Hart, has been an actress on the fictional soap opera, Napa Valley, for twenty-five years. She has loved the challenge of portraying diva Jessica Sinclair, and the reliable job has provided a steady paycheck to support her twelve-year-old son, Jonah, and her mother, Karen. When Callie learns the show has been canceled due to declining viewership, Callie is forced to examine her life and what she wants for her future. How will she maintain hush money payments to her son’s biological father, Dirty Al? What will become of her secret romantic relationship with Paul, one of the show’s writers? Will her son and her mother respect her if she is no longer the family breadwinner?
The story is told through shifting perspectives of Callie, Jonah, Karen, Al and Paul. From the varying vantage points, it becomes clear that Callie is not the only one at a crossroads. Each of the characters has come to a turning point and must decide which path to choose, which direction will lead to their most authentic life. Though each character is flawed in their own way, Bruck’s authentic, honest writing allowed me to empathize with each of their individual struggles and situations. Jonah reminded me of my younger son, a budding actor who’s been begging me to let him go on more auditions. Some of the scenes and comments could have been taken straight from my kitchen.
The emotional story carried me along effortlessly and the tidbits about life in L.A. made it all the more entertaining and enjoyable. I only have one complaint. I wish Daytime Drama were a bit longer; I didn’t want this beautiful novel to come to an end.